We've had a mild winter here for the most part, but the last week or so has been bitter-nasty cold. I'm keeping myself warm by road-testing two recently launched niche spice fragrances:
First up, Caravelle Epicée by the French Cognac house Frapin. Caravelle Epicée starts with a veritable explosion of spice notes, and while I find it glorious, I can see someone less enthusiastic about spice being a bit overwhelmed. A little bit of amber sweetens things up briefly at the start, but it fades into the background rather quickly as the hot pepper, dusty-dry and strong, takes over. The other spices come and go, first the coriander, then a little hint of thyme, then lots of nutmeg, but the pepper hangs on for a good hour before settling itself down (the notes: coriander, nutmeg, clove, cumin, cardamom, thyme, tobacco, patchouli, sandalwood, gaiac wood and amber).
The dry down is a more subdued woody fragrance, still dry but not nearly so bone-dry as the early stages, and with the tobacco, while mild, adding a nice bite to the proceedings. After about an hour and a half, the spices are now well-blended and the finish is almost creamy. It's more masculine, less vanillic than say, Givenchy Organza Indecence, and has less of a comfort scent feel.
I really like Caravelle Epicée, and it was the only one of the four new Frapins that captivated me. The lasting power from a little sample vial was not great, but it did much better sprayed, and it hangs onto clothing beautifully. Frapin Caravelle Epicée is available in 100 ml Eau de Parfum; for buying information, see the listing for Frapin under Perfume Houses.
Next up, the prosaically named eo01 from Biehl, the first of the three fragrances in that line by perfumer Egon Oelkers. Most of the Biehls are still hanging around in my purgatory basket, although that says as much about my inability to process a collection of 13 (couldn't they have released them a few at a time? please?) fragrances as it does about the scents themselves.
Eo01 isn't as spicy as Caravelle Epicée (or Organza Indecence), although I'm guessing that for most people, that will be just fine, thank you. The spices emerge slowly out of juicy citrus (the notes: tangerine, blood orange, cardamom, nutmeg, apricot, coconut, rosewood, pimento, iris, orchid, lily of the valley, styrax, vanilla, cinnamon, tonka bean, cedar, vetiver, patchouli) and while they never approach danger levels, the opening is lively and bright.
The iris in the dry down smoothes everything over; it is all velvety-soft spiced woods sweetened with a touch of vanilla, and while not quite foody, has more of a comfort scent vibe than the Frapin. I've seen a number of comparisons to Parfumerie Generale Cadjmere. They are cousins, I suppose; Cadjmere is thicker and chewier, with less spice and more powder. Personally I prefer the eo01, which I've liked more and more each time I've tried it. Biehl eo01 is also available in 100 ml Eau de Parfum; for buying information, see the listing for Biehl under Perfume Houses.
Robin, every time I've tested Caravelle Epicee, the drydown reminded me of something, and eventually I worked it out – Padparascha. It's the same dark dry cedar on me. I like it, but I think I can live without it.
Those Biehls! I've ordered samples pretty much one at a time as people have raved about one or the other, and yet every new mention seems to be for one I don't have! Thirteen? There seem to be a hundred! I haven't tried this one, but now I think I must. I've liked the MB02 best so far.
Ah, I'll have to try it next to Padparadscha, I didn't even think of that.
I liked MB02 also, but as w/ many of these in the line, it seemed to go bland faster than I'd like. It'll get another try though.
Your description of Caravelle sounds like Jaisalmer (Incense Series) by CdG – would you compare them?
I wish I still had a sample of Jaisalmer to put them both on, but I don't. Going on memory, Jaisalmer is sweeter and a wee bit foodier (neither of these really reminds me of food per se), definitely more cedar-y & more resinous, and has more of an “exotic” feel than Caravelle.
Hope someone else who has smelled both will comment, my memory isn't always the best!
A lot of those Biehls really tempted me when I read about the launch, but 13 really is overwhelming. In all honesty, I'll probably never sniff any of them, which is just as well. These both sound quite nice and I'd gladly take either one if it were, as you say, to fall from the heavens. Passion Boisée sounds like it might be nice as well.
It is overwhelming, and the initials + numbers instead of real names made it more so — they were just too hard to keep track of. I'm trying to give them all a fair shake, and some of them were interesting, but you know, life is short.
Passion Boisee *is* nice, but don't love it. Don't always love really dry leather.
Despite the fact that I had to get know the biehls very closely, I am so confused by their names right now. So confused. The only one the name of which I could match to the scent is, I think, MB02. If that is the incensey one *sigh*
The Frapin sounds glorious. I'll be on the look-out for it.
I *think* 03 is the incense, but I wouldn't swear to it. All of the MBs are still waiting for a 2nd try.
Late last night I finally decided the Biehl might be my favorite of the 2, but who knows what I'll think tomorrow? The Frapin is definitely worth a try
Robin, I hope you'll scuffle around in your Purgatory drawer some more and dig out the Biehls some quiet afternoon when you can really take the time to give them the attention that you might just discover they deserve.
Other than the eo01, 4 others have had their 3rd chance now & been done away with. The others are still in line…some day, I'll finish!
Just ran across your answer, Rob! So, you're not exactly un-nonplussed by them so far, huh? Maybe the remaining eight will blow your mind!!! Ah, but then again, maybe not. Some I was definitely meh about, the gs01 and al02 included; if you're in that section of Purgatory again, though, you might search out the mb03 (incense-y), the hbo1(summer garden), and the gs02 (sweet, sappy citrus-green). Unless we're Evil Fragrance Twins, you might just really dig those ones. (And no, despite my SA-like pushiness, I'm not getting commission for the kudos! ;-D)
P.S. Now, my brain cells are firing a little faster, and I recall you may have written about some of these already. Sorry, R.!!! I just can't keep up with mySELF, let alone the rest of the world.
No, I haven't written about any of them except the eo01. I did like the mb03 (and mb01), just didn't think it was more interesting than work MB has done elsewhere. Liked both of the al scents, and would love to know what other scents that perfumer has done.
Ah, you see, Robin, that's what separates the girls from the women around here!! You are familiar and very much at ease with all that stuff, and I'm not. Never even heard the name Mark Buxton till I'd seen the Biehl line at The Perfume Shoppe a few months ago and did a little online research!!!
How does that saying go: the more I know, the more I know how much I DON'T know????? Sumthin' like that, anyway. I think I better just keep me mouth shut and LEARN for awhile. . .Thanks for your patience, R.
Hey, seriously, that saying applies to me too! There is tons I don't know, and every day, I learn more about what I don't know, LOL…
P.S. To really show you how dumb I am, I'd never even contributed to a blog thread before Now Smell This, and when I signed up here I didn't know I should come up with a name other than my own, being the same as yours. I somehow thought I had to be honest and not try to be someone phoney and made-up. Now I see that I've just made things confusing for people sometimes. Sorry about that, R.
Your kindness, I'm sure, will always exceed your knowledge. Thanks, Robin.
Hey, I didn't really think about it when you signed up either…oh well!